Tragic Nigeria Airstrike: Military Accidentally Kills 16 Civilians
Investigating the Aftermath
In Nigeria’s northwestern Zamfara State, a military air strike has reportedly killed at least 16 civilians, who were allegedly mistaken for armed criminal groups.
Local residents informed media outlets that the victims were part of community vigilante groups and civilians who were defending themselves against notorious gangs known for kidnapping individuals for ransom. The air strikes specifically targeted militant factions in the Zurmi and Maradun regions.
Following the incident, the state governor, Dauda Lawal, expressed his condolences to the affected community.
The military has confirmed the air strikes, claiming they delivered “a decisive blow” to the bandits that have been terrorizing local villages. The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) stated it is looking into the “reports of vigilante casualties” and conveyed concerns regarding the loss of civilian lives during the operation.
In their statement, they mentioned that they had successfully eliminated several bandits and rescued some kidnapping victims and promised a thorough investigation to uncover the facts of the incident, which would be communicated to the public for transparency and reassurance.
According to a local resident, the civilians were returning to their homes after chasing away bandits when the bombing occurred. Sa’idu Ibrahim reported that villagers retrieved 16 bodies from the aftermath and transported several others with serious injuries to the hospital.
Amnesty International Nigeria reported a death toll of 20, stating that many others sustained injuries during the attack on Tunga Kara village. The organization called for an immediate and impartial investigation into the incident, criticizing the air raids as an unacceptable law enforcement measure.
They condemned the “reckless use of deadly force” as unlawful and highlighted the military’s alarming disregard for civilian lives.
In recent years, Nigeria’s security forces have faced challenges from powerful criminal groups, known as bandits, who have inflicted fear in the northwest and central states.
These gangs have been engaged in village raids, arson, and abduction of residents for ransom. There have been several accidental air strikes in recent months, including a Christmas Day incident in neighboring Sokoto state that resulted in the deaths of at least 10 civilians.
Additionally, in 2023, at least 85 civilians, predominantly women and children, were killed while attending a Muslim religious gathering in Kaduna state when they were misidentified as bandits. In January 2017, a tragic air strike killed at least 112 people at a camp housing 40,000 displaced individuals near the Cameroonian border.
Source: BBC